Jewish Humor Central is a daily publication to start your day with news of the Jewish world that's likely to produce a knowing smile and some Yiddishe nachas. It's also a collection of sources of Jewish humor--anything that brings a grin, chuckle, laugh, guffaw, or just a warm feeling to readers.
Our posts include jokes, satire, books, music, films, videos, food, Unbelievable But True, and In the News. Some are new, and some are classics. We post every morning, Sunday through Friday. Enjoy!

Friday, July 26, 2013

A touch of Tel Aviv has come to Jerusalem. Conversion of the vacant old train station to a trendy new First Station complex with restaurants, shops, and entertainment, has brought new life to a mostly unused outpost at the edge of the Emek Refaim neighborhood in Jerusalem's German Colony.During the week, it's been welcomed by residents and tourists. But on Friday afternoon, as Shabbat approaches and the rest of the city's culinary and artistic venues shut down for 24 hours, there is ambivalence and uncertainty about where this may lead.

Orthodox residents are concerned about Shabbat violations and a loss of the special qualities of a day of rest, but some are taking advantage of having a new destination for Shabbat walks and window shopping for purchases to be made after Shabbat is over.Secular Jerusalemites are happy to have dining options (kosher and non-kosher) on Shabbat, and some are finding new ways to find spiritual meaning in Shabbat observance with music and dance.

The 400 people assembled include Jews from secular to Orthodox. All
of this is taking place in Jerusalem, the city that has a reputation as
dominated by Haredi zealotry — just a few minutes drive from the Western
Wall where this year women holding communal prayers have been pelted
with eggs.

As of this spring the city has a new trendy
recreational venue called the First Train Station with cafes,
restaurants and in the middle a stage and seating. During the summer
every Friday a group of musicians takes to the stage and performs a
funky version of the synagogue service to welcome the Sabbath, Kabbalat
Shabbat. The performance varies depending on which group leads it, but
there tends to be original tunes and catchy chants that help those
unfamiliar with the service to get involved.

When Jerusalem’s Bridge of Strings opened in 2008 the
city famously insisted that the girls in a performance troupe wore
shapeless clothing on top of their outfits for the sake of modesty — and
there have been numerous controversies in Israel about women being
prevented from singing at public events.

But here, two energetic women dominate the stage, one
in a sleeveless top and one with short sleeves, singing and jumping up
and down.

“Maybe this is the beginning of a new development of
non-religious people coming to see Jewish culture as something that
doesn’t necessarily need to be done the Orthodox way,” said Adi Talmon, a
middle-aged secular Jerusalemite as he looked at the scene approvingly.

Talmon has become a regular because “as a non-religious
person I think it’s great to finish the week with Kabbalat Shabbat —
every person has his own Shabbat and this is to separate between the
sacred and the mundane.”

So where is this headed? Take a stroll through the First Station in the video below and share your thoughts with fellow readers via the comments box.Enjoy and Shabbat Shalom!(A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:
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Yippee! Jerusalem belongs to everyone.You want to shop, eat, people watch, dance, have fun.....you are free to do it. Everyone ain't orthodox...they are free to do as they choose, why not everyone else?

FUN--FUN--FUN! This is what "living in the NOW" looks like--and this is actually a great expression of progress and expansion-This doesn't take ANYTHING AWAY from ANYONE! It only adds to people's options--and I think thats a VERY GOOD THING! Shabbat Shalom!

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About the Publisher and Editor-in-Chief

Al Kustanowitz, Jewish Humor Central's Publisher and Editor-in-Chief, has collected Jewish humor even before there was an internet. For the last 25 years he has been editor and publisher of The Kustanowitz Kronikle.
Al is a member of the Jewish Speakers Bureau.
Want to contact us? Just send email to akustan@gmail.com.